Chinese Man is a collective French trip hop band created in 2004 and originally from Aix-en-Provence. They are influenced by hip-hop, funk, dub, reggae and jazz.

Chinese Man is composed of DJ Marseille Zé Mateo and High Ku and beatmaker SLY. Beatmakers Leo le Bug and Le Yan also revolve around the group and participate in the composition of several pieces. Frequent live additions to the crew include Taiwan MC and MC Youthstar. The group became known through the song „I’ve Got That Tune” which was chosen by Mercedes-Benz for its promotional campaign and by the French Film Festival in Hong Kong as its theme.

Chinese Man Records label is based in Marseille, France.

Controversy

Chinese Man have received criticism for their name. The group is primarily composed of three Caucasian men, High Ku, Sly, Zé Mateo, and are frequently joined live onstage by Youthstar & A.S.M (Green T & FP). The audio visual content for which they are well known is produced by Fred&Annabelle , and VYZ Team. The titular character for their music video „Miss Chang” is portrayed by Caucasian actress Clémentine Baert.

There were protests in Canada during their 2018 North American tour. The group has explained CHINESE MAN is the name of the first track the collective produced together in 2004. The track was named from a vocal sample saying CHINESE MAN, and they kept that name for the band and for the related label CHINESE MAN RECORDS (aka CMR).

According to the band, they also kept this name because the CMR collective express keen interest in asian culture in general (visuals, books, movies, animation, history, etc.), and have publicly stated their intention to keep the name as a tribute to what they consider a deep, rich and varied culture.

Like other bands (IAM in FRANCE, THE WU TANG in the US…), the CMR collective have created a graphic universe around a mythic CHINESE MAN who sends his disciples all around the world with a unique mission „to spread music around the world”.

Discography

Albums
2005 : The Bootlegs Sessions
2007 : The Groove Sessions Volume 1
2009 : The Groove Sessions Volume 2
2011 : Racing With The Sun
2012 : Remix With The Sun
– The Mourning Son (feat. Jeru the Damaja)
– One Past (OBF Remix)
– Saudade (feat. Femi Kuti / Liliboy)
– Stand! extended version (feat. Plex Rock)
– Racing With The Sun (Deluxe Remix)
– Down (Scratch Bandits Crew Remix): used by „Le Before” of Le Grand Journal of Canal + in its Title sequence[8] – In My Room (feat. Chali 2Na)
– Get up (feat. Lush One / Plex Rock / Ex-I) (LeYan & Tomapam Remix)
– Ta Bom (feat. Tumi / General Electriks)
– Miss Chang (feat. Taiwan MC / Cyph4) (Tha Trickaz Remix)
– Racing With The Sun (Iration Steppas Remix)
– In My Room (DJ Suv Remix)
– The King (The Libra Priest Suite) (DJ Simbad Remix)

2012 : Live à la Cigale
2014 : The Groove Sessions Volume 3
2015 : Sho-Bro
2015 : The Journey
2017 : Shikantaza
– Shikantaza
– Liar (feat. Kendra Morris & Dillon Cooper)
– Maläd
– Step Back
– The New Crown (feat. A-F-R-O, A.S.M & Taiwan MC)
– Escape
– Stone Cold (feat. Mariama)
– Modern Slave (feat. R.A. The Rugged Man)
– Warriors
– What You You Need (feat Vinnie Dewayne, Myke Bogan & Tre Redeau)
– Wolf
– Blah! (feat Youthstar, Taiwan MC & Illaman)
– Golden Age
– L’aurore
– Anvoyé
– Good night

Maxi vinyls Chinese Man

2004: The Pandi Groove EP, 4 tracks
2006: The Bunni Groove EP, 6 tracks including „I’ve Got That Tune”
2007: The Indi Groove EP, 5 tracks
2008: The Groove Sessions Vol.1, 14 tracks
2009: Hong Kong Dragon Speaking EP, 4 tracks
2009: The Groove Sessions Vol.2, 16 tracks
2011: Miss Chang EP, 4 tracks
2012: Racing + Remix With the Sun, 26 tracks
2014: Once upon a time EP
2014: The Groove Sessions Vol.3, 14 tracks

Maxi vinyls solos (label Chinese Man Records)

2008: SLY- Small City Music EP, 8 tracks
2008: Leo Le Bug – Le Pudding EP, 4 tracks
2010: Leo Le Bug / LeYan – Split EP, 8 tracks
2012: Deluxe – Polishing Peanuts, 6 tracks
2013: Deluxe – Daniel, 4 tracks
2013: Deluxe – The Deluxe Family Show, 12 tracks
2013: LeYan & TomaPam – Sputnik Moment, 45T 2 tracks